1. In the Most Holy Eucharist, Mother Church with steadfast
faith acknowledges the Sacrament of redemption,1 joyfully takes it to herself, celebrates it and reveres it
in adoration, proclaiming the death of Christ Jesus and confessing his
Resurrection until he comes in glory2 to hand over, as unconquered Lord and Ruler, eternal
Priest and King of the Universe, a kingdom of truth and life to the immense
majesty of the Almighty Father.3

2. The Church’s doctrine regarding the Most Holy Eucharist, in
which the whole spiritual wealth of the Church is contained
— namely Christ, our
Paschal Lamb4— the Eucharist
which is the source and summit of the whole of Christian life,5 and which lies as a causative force behind
the very origins of the Church,6
has been expounded with thoughtful care and with great authority over the course
of the centuries in the writings of the Councils and the Supreme Pontiffs. Most
recently, in fact, the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II, in the Encyclical Letter
Ecclesia de
Eucharistia, set forth afresh certain elements of great importance on
this subject in view of the ecclesial circumstances of our times.7

In order that especially in the celebration of the Sacred Liturgy
the Church might duly safeguard so great a mystery in our own time as well, the
Supreme Pontiff has mandated that this Congregation for Divine Worship and the
Discipline of the Sacraments,8 in
collaboration with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, should
prepare this Instruction treating of certain matters pertaining to the
discipline of the Sacrament of the Eucharist. Those things found in this
Instruction are therefore to be read in the continuity with the above-mentioned
Encyclical Letter, Ecclesia de
Eucharistia.

It is not at all the intention here to prepare a compendium of the
norms regarding the Most Holy Eucharist, but rather, to take up within this
Instruction some elements of liturgical norms that have been previously
expounded or laid down and even today remain in force in order to assure a
deeper appreciation of the liturgical norms;9 to establish certain norms by which those earlier ones are
explained and complemented; and also to set forth for Bishops, as well as for
Priests, Deacons and all the lay Christian faithful, how each should carry them
out in accordance with his own responsibilities and the means at his
disposal.

3. The norms contained in the present Instruction are to be
understood as pertaining to liturgical matters in the Roman Rite, and,
mutatis mutandis, in the other Rites of the Latin Church that are duly
acknowledged by law.

4. “Certainlythe liturgical reform inaugurated by the
Councilhas greatly contributed to a more conscious, active and fruitful
participation in the Holy Sacrifice of the Altar on the part of the faithful.”10 Even so, “shadows are not
lacking”.11 In this regard it is
not possible to be silent about the abuses, even quite grave ones, against the
nature of the Liturgy and the Sacraments as well as the tradition and the
authority of the Church, which in our day not infrequently plague liturgical
celebrations in one ecclesial environment or another. In some places the
perpetration of liturgical abuses has become almost habitual, a fact which
obviously cannot be allowed and must cease.

5. The observance of the norms published by the authority of the
Church requires conformity of thought and of word, of external action and of the
application of the heart. A merely external observation of norms would obviously
be contrary to the nature of the Sacred Liturgy, in which Christ himself wishes
to gather his Church, so that together with himself she will be “one body and
one spirit”.12 For this reason,
external action must be illuminated by faith and charity, which unite us with
Christ and with one another and engender love for the poor and the abandoned.
The liturgical words and rites, moreover, are a faithful expression, matured
over the centuries, of the understanding of Christ, and they teach us to think
as he himself does;13 by
conforming our minds to these words, we raise our hearts to the Lord. All that
is said in this Instruction is directed toward such a conformity of our own
understanding with that of Christ, as expressed in the words and the rites of
the Liturgy.

6. For abuses “contribute to the obscuring of the Catholic faith
and doctrine concerning this wonderful sacrament”.14 Thus, they also hinder the faithful from “re-living in a
certain way the experience of the two disciples of Emmaus: ‘and their eyes were
opened, and they recognized him’”.15 For in the presence of God’s power and divinity16 and the splendour of his
goodness, made manifest especially in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, it is
fitting that all the faithful should have and put into practice that power of
acknowledging God’s majesty that they have received through the saving Passion
of the Only-Begotten Son.17

7. Not infrequently, abuses are rooted in a false understanding
of liberty. Yet God has not granted us in Christ an illusory liberty by which we
may do what we wish, but a liberty by which we may do that which is fitting and
right.18 This is true not only
of precepts coming directly from God, but also of laws promulgated by the
Church, with appropriate regard for the nature of each norm.For this
reason, all should conform to the ordinances set forth by legitimate
ecclesiastical authority.

8. It is therefore to be noted with great sadness that
“ecumenical initiatives which are well-intentioned, nevertheless indulge at
times in Eucharistic practices contrary to the discipline by which the Church
expresses her faith”. Yet the Eucharist “is too great a gift to tolerate
ambiguity or depreciation”. It is therefore necessary that some things be
corrected or more clearly delineated so that in this respect as well “the
Eucharist will continue to shine forth in all its radiant mystery”.19

9. Finally, abuses are often based on ignorance, in that they
involve a rejection of those elements whose deeper meaning is not understood and
whose antiquity is not recognized. For “the liturgical prayers, orations and
songs are pervaded by the inspiration and impulse” of the Sacred Scriptures
themselves, “and it is from these that the actions and signs receive their
meaning”.20 As for the visible
signs “which the Sacred Liturgy uses in order to signify the invisible divine
realities, they have been chosen by Christ or by the Church”.21 Finally, the structures and forms of the
sacred celebrations according to each of the Rites of both East and West are in
harmony with the practice of the universal Church also as regards practices
received universally from apostolic and unbroken tradition,22 which it is the Church’s task to transmit
faithfully and carefully to future generations. All these things are wisely
safeguarded and protected by the liturgical norms.

10. The Church herself has no power over those things which were
established by Christ himself and which constitute an unchangeable part of the
Liturgy.23 Indeed, if the bond
were to be broken which the Sacraments have with Christ himself who instituted
them, and with the events of the Church’s founding,24 it would not be beneficial to the faithful but rather
would do them grave harm. For the Sacred Liturgy is quite intimately connected
with principles of doctrine,25
so that the use of unapproved texts and rites necessarily leads either to the
attenuation or to the disappearance of that necessary link between the lex
orandi and the lex credendi.26

11. The Mystery of the Eucharist “is too great for anyone to
permit himself to treat it according to his own whim, so that its sacredness and
its universal ordering would be obscured”.27 On the contrary, anyone who acts thus by giving free
reign to his own inclinations, even if he is a Priest, injures the substantial
unity of the Roman Rite, which ought to be vigorously preserved,28 and becomes responsible for actions that
are in no way consistent with the hunger and thirst for the living God that is
experienced by the people today. Nor do such actions serve authentic pastoral
care or proper liturgical renewal; instead, they deprive Christ’s faithful of
their patrimony and their heritage. For arbitrary actions are not conducive to
true renewal,29 but are
detrimental to the right of Christ’s faithful to a liturgical celebration that
is an expression of the Church’s life in accordance with her tradition and
discipline. In the end, they introduce elements of distortion and disharmony
into the very celebration of the Eucharist, which is oriented in its own lofty
way and by its very nature to signifying and wondrously bringing about the
communion of divine life and the unity of the People of God.30 The result is uncertainty in matters of
doctrine, perplexity and scandal on the part of the People of God, and, almost
as a necessary consequence, vigorous opposition, all of which greatly confuse
and sadden many of Christ’s faithful in this age of ours when Christian life is
often particularly difficult on account of the inroads of “secularization” as
well.31

12. On the contrary, it is the right of all of Christ’s faithful
that the Liturgy, and in particular the celebration of Holy Mass, should truly
be as the Church wishes, according to her stipulations as prescribed in the
liturgical books and in the other laws and norms. Likewise, the Catholic people
have the right that the Sacrifice of the Holy Mass should be celebrated for them
in an integral manner, according to the entire doctrine of the Church’s Magisterium. Finally, it is the Catholic community’s right that the celebration
of the Most Holy Eucharist should be carried out for it in such a manner that it
truly stands out as a sacrament of unity, to the exclusion of all blemishes and
actions that might engender divisions and factions in the Church.32

13. All of the norms and exhortations set forth in this
Instruction are connected, albeit in various ways, with the mission of the
Church, whose task it is to be vigilant concerning the correct and worthy
celebration of so great a mystery. The last chapter of the present Instruction
will treat of the varying degrees to which the individual norms are bound up
with the supreme norm of all ecclesiastical law, namely concern for the
salvation of souls.33

14. “The regulation of the Sacred Liturgy depends solely on the
authority of the Church, which rests specifically with the Apostolic See and,
according to the norms of law, with the Bishop.34

15. The Roman Pontiff, “the Vicar of Christ and the Pastor of
the universal Church on earth, by virtue of his supreme office enjoys full,
immediate and universal ordinary power, which he may always freely exercise”35, also by means of communication
with the pastors and with the members of the flock.

16. “It pertains to the Apostolic See to regulate the Sacred
Liturgy of the universal Church, to publish the liturgical books and to grant
the recognitio for their translation into vernacular languages, as well
as to ensure that the liturgical regulations, especially those governing the
celebration of the most exalted celebration of the Sacrifice of the Mass, are
everywhere faithfully observed”.36

17. “The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of
the Sacraments attends to those matters that pertain to the Apostolic See as
regards the regulation and promotion of the Sacred Liturgy, and especially the
Sacraments, with due regard for the competence of the Congregation for the
Doctrine of the Faith. It fosters and enforces sacramental discipline,
especially as regards their validity and their licit celebration”. Finally, it
“carefully seeks to ensure that the liturgical regulations are observed with
precision, and that abuses are prevented or eliminated whenever they are
detected”37. In this regard,
according to the tradition of the universal Church, pre-eminent solicitude is
accorded the celebration of Holy Mass, and also to the worship that is given to
the Holy Eucharist even outside Mass.

18. Christ’s faithful have the right that ecclesiastical
authority should fully and efficaciously regulate the Sacred Liturgy lest it
should ever seem to be “anyone’s private property, whether of the celebrant or
of the community in which the mysteries are celebrated”38.

1. The Diocesan Bishop, High Priest of his
Flock

19. The diocesan Bishop, the first steward of the mysteries of
God in the particular Church entrusted to him, is the moderator, promoter and
guardian of her whole liturgical life.39 For “the Bishop, endowed with the fullness of the
Sacrament of Order, is ‘the steward of the grace of the high Priesthood’,40 especially in the Eucharist
which he either himself offers or causes to be offered,41 by which the Church continually lives and
grows”.42

20. Indeed, the pre-eminent manifestation of the Church is found
whenever the rites of Mass are celebrated, especially in the Cathedral Church,
“with the full and active participation of the entire holy People of God, joined
in one act of prayer, at one altar at which the Bishop presides”, surrounded by
his presbyterate with the Deacons and ministers.43 Furthermore, “every lawful celebration of the Eucharist
is directed by the Bishop, to whom is entrusted the office of presenting the
worship of the Christian religion to the Divine Majesty and ordering it
according to the precepts of the Lord and the laws of the Church, further
specified by his own particular judgement for the Diocese”.44

21. It pertains to the diocesan Bishop, then, “within the limits
of his competence, to set forth liturgical norms in his Diocese, by which all
are bound”.45 Still, the Bishop
must take care not to allow the removal of that liberty foreseen by the norms of
the liturgical books so that the celebration may be adapted in an intelligent
manner to the Church building, or to the group of the faithful who are present,
or to particular pastoral circumstances in such a way that the universal sacred
rite is truly accommodated to human understanding.46

22. The Bishop governs the particular Church entrusted to him,47 and it is his task to regulate,
to direct, to encourage, and sometimes also to reprove;48 this is a sacred task that he has
received through episcopal Ordination,49 which he fulfills in order to build up his flock in
truth and holiness.50 He should
elucidate the inherent meaning of the rites and the liturgical texts, and
nourish the spirit of the Liturgy in the Priests, Deacons and lay faithful51 so that they are all led to the
active and fruitful celebration of the Eucharist,52 and in like manner he should take care to ensure that
the whole body of the Church is able to grow in the same understanding, in the
unity of charity, in the diocese, in the nation and in the world.53

23. The faithful “should cling to the Bishop as the Church does
to Jesus Christ, and as Jesus Christ does to the Father, so that all may be in
harmonious unity, and that they may abound to the glory of God”.54 All, including members of Institutes of
consecrated life and Societies of apostolic life as well as those of all
ecclesial associations and movements of any kind, are subject to the authority
of the diocesan Bishop in all liturgical matters,55 apart from rights that have been legitimately conceded.
To the diocesan Bishop therefore falls the right and duty of overseeing and
attending to Churches and oratories in his territory in regard to liturgical
matters, and this is true also of those which are founded by members of the
above-mentioned institutes or under their direction, provided that the faithful
are accustomed to frequent them.56

24. It is the right of the Christian people themselves that
their diocesan Bishop should take care to prevent the occurrence of abuses in
ecclesiastical discipline, especially as regards the ministry of the word, the
celebration of the sacraments and sacramentals, the worship of God and devotion
to the Saints.57

25. Commissions as well as councils or committees established by
the Bishop to handle “the promotion of the Liturgy, sacred music and art in his
diocese” should act in accordance with the intentions and the norms of the
Bishop; they must rely on his authority and his approval so that they may carry
out their office in a suitable manner58 and so that the effective governance of the Bishop in
his diocese will be preserved. As regards all these sorts of bodies and other
entities and all undertakings in liturgical matters, there has long been the
need for the Bishops to consider whether their working has been fruitful thus
far,59 and to consider carefully
which changes or improvements should be made in their composition and activity60 so that they might find new
vigour. It should be borne in mind that the experts are to be chosen from among
those whose soundness in the Catholic faith and knowledge of theological and
cultural matters are evident.

2. The Conference of Bishops

26. The same holds for those commissions of this kind which have
been established by the Conference of Bishops in accordance with the will of the
Council,61 commissions whose
members consist of Bishops who are clearly distinguished from their expert
helpers. Where the number of members of a Conference of Bishops is not
sufficient for the effective establishment of a liturgical commission from among
their own number, then a council or group of experts should be named, always
under the presidency of a Bishop, which is to fulfill the same role insofar as
possible, albeit without the name of “liturgical commission”.

27. As early as the year 1970, the Apostolic See announced the
cessation of all experimentation as regards the celebration of Holy Mass62 and reiterated the same in
1988.63 Accordingly, individual
Bishops and their Conferences do not have the faculty to permit experimentation
with liturgical texts or the other matters that are prescribed in the liturgical
books. In order to carry out experimentation of this kind in the future, the
permission of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the
Sacraments is required. It must be in writing, and it is to be requested by the
Conference of Bishops. In fact, it will not be granted without serious reason.
As regards projects of inculturation in liturgical matters, the particular norms
that have been established are strictly and comprehensively to be observed.64

28. All liturgical norms that a Conference of Bishops will have
established for its territory in accordance with the law are to be submitted to
the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments for the
recognitio, without which they lack any binding force.65

3. Priests

29. Priests, as capable, prudent and indispensable co-workers of
the order of Bishops,66 called
to the service of the People of God, constitute one presbyterate with their
Bishop,67 though charged with
differing offices. “In each local congregation of the faithful, in a certain
way, they make present the Bishop with whom they are associated in trust and in
generosity of heart; according to their rank, they take upon themselves his
duties and his solicitude, and they carry these out in their daily work”. And
“because of this participation in the Priesthood and mission, Priests should
recognize the Bishop as truly their father and obey him reverently”68. Furthermore, “ever intent upon the good
of God’s children, they should seek to contribute to the pastoral mission of the
whole diocese, and indeed of the whole Church”.69

30. The office “that belongs to Priests in particular in the
celebration of the Eucharist” is a great one, “for it is their responsibility to
preside at the Eucharist in persona Christi and to provide a witness to
and a service of communion not only for the community directly taking part in
the celebration, but also for the universal Church, which is always brought into
play within the context of the Eucharist. It must be lamented that, especially
in the years following the post-Conciliar liturgical reform, as a result of a
misguided sense of creativity and adaptation, there have been a number ofabuses which have been a source of suffering for many”.70

31. In keeping with the solemn promises that they have made in
the rite of Sacred Ordination and renewed each year in the Mass of the Chrism,
let Priests celebrate “devoutly and faithfully the mysteries of Christ for the
praise of God and the sanctification of the Christian people, according to the
tradition of the Church, especially in the Eucharistic Sacrifice and in the
Sacrament of Reconciliation”.71
They ought not to detract from the profound meaning of their own ministry by
corrupting the liturgical celebration either through alteration or omission, or
through arbitrary additions.72
For as St. Ambrose said, “It is not in herself . . . but in us that the Church
is injured. Let us take care so that our own failure may not cause injury to the
Church”.73 Let the Church of God
not be injured, then, by Priests who have so solemnly dedicated themselves to
the ministry. Indeed, under the Bishop’s authority let them faithfully seek to
prevent others as well from committing this type of distortion.

32. “Let the Parish Priest strive so that the Most Holy
Eucharist will be the center of the parish congregation of the faithful; let him
work to ensure that Christ’s faithful are nourished through the devout
celebration of the Sacraments, and in particular, that they frequently approach
the Most Holy Eucharist and the Sacrament of Penance; let him strive,
furthermore, to ensure that the faithful are encouraged to offer prayers in
their families as well, and to participate consciously and actively in the
Sacred Liturgy, which the Parish Priest, under the authority of the diocesan
Bishop, is bound to regulate and supervise in his parish lest abuses occur”.74 Although it is appropriate that
he should be assisted in the effective preparation of the liturgical
celebrations by various members of Christ’s faithful, he nevertheless must not
cede to them in any way those things that are proper to his own office.

33. Finally, all “Priests should go to the trouble of
properlycultivating their liturgical knowledge and ability,so
that through their liturgical ministry, God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit will
be praised in an ever more excellent manner by the Christian communities
entrusted to them”.75 Above all,
let them be filled with that wonder and amazement that the Paschal Mystery, in
being celebrated, instills in the hearts of the faithful.76

4. Deacons

34. Deacons “upon whom hands are imposed not for the Priesthood
but for the ministry”,77 as men
of good repute,78 must act in
such a way that with the help of God they may be recognized as the true
disciples79 of him “who came not
to be served but to serve”80,
and who was among his disciples “as one who serves”.81 Strengthened by the gift of the Holy Spirit through the
laying on of hands, they are in service to the People of God, in communion with
the Bishop and his presbyterate.82 They should therefore consider the Bishop as a father,
and give assistance to him and to the Priests “in the ministry of the word, of
the altar, and of charity”.83

35. Let them never fail, “as the Apostle says, to hold the
mystery of faith with a clear conscience,84 and to proclaim this faith by word and deed according to
the Gospel and the tradition of the Church”,85 in wholehearted, faithful and humble service to the
Sacred Liturgy as the source and summit of ecclesial life, “so that all, made
children of God through faith and Baptism, may come together as one, praising
God in the midst of the Church, to participate in the Sacrifice and to eat the
Lord’s Supper”.86 Let all
Deacons, then, do their part so that the Sacred Liturgy will be celebrated
according to the norms of the duly approved liturgical books.

The participation of the lay
Christian faithful in the Eucharistic celebration

1. Active and Conscious Participation

36. The celebration of the Mass, as the action of Christ and of
the Church, is the center of the whole Christian life for the universal as well
as the particular Church, and also for the individual faithful,87 who are involved “in differing ways
according to the diversity of orders, ministries, and active participation.88 In this way the Christian
people, “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy people, a people God has made
his own”,89 manifests its
coherent and hierarchical ordering”.90 “For the common priesthood of the faithful and the
ministerial or hierarchical Priesthood, though they differ in essence and not
only in degree, are ordered to one another, for both partake, each in its own
way, of the one Priesthood of Christ”.91

37. All of Christ’s faithful, freed from their sins and
incorporated into the Church through Baptism, are deputed by means of a
sacramental character for the worship of the Christian religion,92 so that by virtue of their royal
priesthood,93 persevering in
prayer and praising God,94 they
may offer themselves as a living and holy sacrifice pleasing to God and attested
to others by their works,95
giving witness to Christ throughout the earth and providing an answer to those
who ask concerning their hope of eternal life that is in them.96 Thus the participation of the lay
faithful too in the Eucharist and in the other celebrations of the Church’s
rites cannot be equated with mere presence, and still less with a passive one,
but is rather to be regarded as a true exercise of faith and of the baptismal
dignity.

38. The constant teaching of the Church on the nature of the
Eucharist not only as a meal, but also and pre-eminently as a Sacrifice, is
therefore rightly understood to be one of the principal keys to the full
participation of all the faithful in so great a Sacrament.97 For when “stripped of its sacrificial
meaning, the mystery is understood as if its meaning and importance were simply
that of a fraternal banquet”.98

39. For promoting and elucidatingactive participation,
the recent renewal of the liturgical books according to the mind of the Council
fostered acclamations of the people, responses, psalmody, antiphons, and
canticles, as well as actions or movements and gestures, and called for sacred
silence to be maintained at the proper times, while providing rubrics for the
parts of the faithful as well.99
In addition, ample flexibility is given for appropriate creativity aimed at
allowingeach celebration to be adapted to the needs of the participants,
to their comprehension, their interior preparation and their gifts, according to
the established liturgical norms. In the songs, the melodies, the choice of
prayers and readings, the giving of the homily, the preparation of the prayer of
the faithful, the occasional explanatory remarks, and the decoration of the
Church building according to the various seasons, there is ample possibility for
introducing into each celebration a certain variety by which the riches of the
liturgical tradition will also be more clearly evident, and so, in keeping with
pastoral requirements, the celebration will be carefully imbued with those
particular features that will foster the recollection of the participants.Still, it should be remembered that the power of the liturgical celebrations
does not consist in frequently altering the rites, but in probing more deeply
the word of God and the mystery being celebrated.100

40. Nevertheless, from the fact that the liturgical celebration
obviously entails activity, it does not follow that everyone must necessarily
have something concrete to do beyond the actions and gestures, as if a certain
specific liturgical ministry must necessarily be given to the individuals to be
carried out by them. Instead, catechetical instruction should strive diligently
to correct those widespread superficial notions and practices often seen in
recent years in this regard, and ever to instill anew in all of Christ’s
faithful that sense of deep wonder before the greatness of the mystery of faith
that is the Eucharist, in whose celebration the Church is forever passing from
what is obsolete into newness of life: “in novitatem a vetustate”.101 For in the celebration of the
Eucharist, as in the whole Christian life which draws its power from it and
leads toward it, the Church, after the manner of Saint Thomas the Apostle,
prostrates herselfin adoration before the Lord who was crucified,
suffered and died, was buried and arose, and perpetually exclaims to him who is
clothed in the fullness of his divine splendour: “My Lord and my God!”102

41. For encouraging, promoting and nourishing this interior
understanding of liturgical participation, the continuous and widespread
celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours, the use of the sacramentals and
exercises of Christian popular piety are extremely helpful. These latter
exercises — which “while not belonging to the Liturgy in the strict sense,
possess nonetheless a particular importance and dignity”
— are to be regarded as
having a certain connection with the liturgical context, especially when they
have been lauded and attested by the Magisterium itself,103 as is the case especially of the
Marian Rosary.104 Furthermore,
since these practices of piety lead the Christian people both to the reception
of the sacraments
— especially the Eucharist
— and “to meditation on the
mysteries of our Redemption and the imitation of the excellent heavenly examples
of the Saints, they are therefore not without salutary effects for our
participation in liturgical worship ”.105

42. It must be acknowledged that the Church has not come
together by human volition; rather, she has been called together by God in the
Holy Spirit, and she responds through faith to his free calling (thus the word
ekklesia is related to klesis, or “calling”).106 Nor is the Eucharistic Sacrifice to be
considered a “concelebration”, in the univocal sense, of the Priest along with
the people who are present.107
On the contrary, the Eucharist celebrated by the Priests “is a gift which
radically transcends the power of the community. . . . The community that
gathers for the celebration of the Eucharist absolutely requires an ordained
Priest, who presides over it so that it may truly be a eucharistic convocation.
On the other hand, the community is by itself incapable of providing an ordained
minister”.108 There is
pressing need of a concerted will to avoid all ambiguity in this matter and to
remedy the difficulties of recent years. Accordingly, terms such as “celebrating
community” or “celebrating assembly” (in other languages “asamblea celebrante”,
“assemblée célébrante”, assemblea celebrante”) and similar terms should not be
used injudiciously.

2. The Ministries of the Lay Christian Faithful
in the Celebration of Holy Mass

43. For the good of the community and of the whole Church of
God, some of the lay faithful according to tradition have rightly and laudably
exercised ministries in the celebration of the Sacred Liturgy.109 It is appropriate that a number of
persons distribute among themselves and exercise various ministries or different
parts of the same ministry.110

44. Apart from the duly instituted ministries of acolyte and
lector,111 the most important
of these ministries are those of acolyte112 and lector113 by temporary deputation. In addition to these are the
other functions that are described in the Roman Missal,114 as well as the functions of preparing
the hosts, washing the liturgical linens, and the like. All, “whether ordained
ministers or lay faithful, in exercising their own office or ministry should do
exclusively and fully that which pertains to them”.115 In the liturgical celebration itself as well as in its
preparation, they should do what is necessary so that the Church’s Liturgy will
be carried out worthily and appropriately.

45. To be avoided is the danger of obscuring the complementary
relationship between the action of clerics and that of laypersons, in such a way
that the ministry of laypersons undergoes what might be called a certain
“clericalization”, while the sacred ministers inappropriately assume those
things that are proper to the life and activity of the lay faithful.116

46. The lay Christian faithful called to give assistance at
liturgical celebrations should be well instructed and must be those whoseChristian life, morals and fidelity to the Church’s Magisterium recommend
them. It is fitting that such a one should have received a liturgical formation
in accordance with his or her age, condition, state of life, and religious
culture.117 No one should be
selected whose designation could cause consternation for the faithful.118

47. It is altogether laudable to maintain the noble custom by
which boys or youths, customarily termed servers, provide service of the altar
after the manner of acolytes, and receive catechesis regarding their function in
accordance with their power of comprehension.119 Nor should it be forgotten that a great number of
sacred ministers over the course of the centuries have come from among boys such
as these.120 Associations for
them, including also the participation and assistance of their parents, should
be established or promoted, and in such a way greater pastoral care will be
provided for the ministers. Whenever such associations are international in
nature, it pertains to the competence of the Congregation for Divine Worship and
the Discipline of the Sacraments to establish them or to approve and revise
their statutes.121 Girls or
women may also be admitted to this service of the altar, at the discretion of
the diocesan Bishop and in observance of the established norms.122

48. The bread used in the celebration of the Most Holy
Eucharistic Sacrifice must be unleavened, purely of wheat, and recently made so
that there is no danger of decomposition.123 It follows therefore that bread made from another
substance, even if it is grain, or if it is mixed with another substance
different from wheat to such an extent that it would not commonly be considered
wheat bread, does not constitute valid matter for confecting the Sacrifice and
the Eucharistic Sacrament.124
It is a grave abuse to introduce other substances, such as fruit or sugar or
honey, into the bread for confecting the Eucharist. Hosts should obviously be
made by those who are not only distinguished by their integrity, but also
skilled in making them and furnished with suitable tools.125

49. By reason of the sign, it is appropriate that at least some
parts of the Eucharistic Bread coming from the fraction should be distributed to
at least some of the faithful in Communion. “Small hosts are, however, in no way
ruled out when the number of those receiving Holy Communion or other pastoral
needs require it”,126 and
indeed small hosts requiring no further fraction ought customarily to be used
for the most part.

50. The wine that is used in the most sacred celebration of the
Eucharistic Sacrifice must be natural, from the fruit of the grape, pure and
incorrupt, not mixed with other substances.127 During the celebration itself, a small quantity of
water is to be mixed with it. Great care should be taken so that the wine
intended for the celebration of the Eucharist is well conserved and has not
soured.128 It is altogether
forbidden to use wine of doubtful authenticity or provenance, for the Churchrequires certainty regarding the conditions necessary for the validity of
the sacraments. Nor are other drinks of any kind to be admitted for any reason,
as they do not constitute valid matter.

2. The Eucharistic Prayer

51. Only those Eucharistic Prayers are to be used which are
found in the Roman Missal or are legitimately approved by the Apostolic See, and
according to the manner and the terms set forth by it. “It is not to be
tolerated that some Priests take upon themselves the right to compose their own
Eucharistic Prayers”129 or to
change the same texts approved by the Church, or to introduce others composed by
private individuals.130

52. The proclamation of the Eucharistic Prayer, which by its
very nature is the climax of the whole celebration, is proper to the Priest by
virtue of his Ordination. It is therefore an abuse to proffer it in such a way
that some parts of the Eucharistic Prayer are recited by a Deacon, a lay
minister, or by an individual member of the faithful, or by all members of the
faithful together. The Eucharistic Prayer, then, is to be recited by the Priest
alone in full.131

53. While the Priest proclaims the Eucharistic Prayer “there
should be no other prayers or singing, and the organ or other musical
instruments should be silent”,132 except for the people’s acclamations that have been
duly approved, as described below.

54. The people, however, are always involved actively and never
merely passively: for they “silently join themselves with the Priest in faith,
as well as in their interventions during the course of the Eucharistic Prayer as
prescribed, namely in the responses in the Preface dialogue, the Sanctus,
the acclamation after the consecration and the “Amen” after the final
doxology, and in other acclamations approved by the Conference of Bishops with
the recognitio of the Holy See”.133

55. In some placesthere has existed an abuse by which
the Priest breaks the host at the time of the consecration in the Holy Mass.
This abuse is contrary to the tradition of the Church. It is reprobated and is
to be corrected with haste.

56. The mention of the name of the Supreme Pontiff and the
diocesan Bishop in the Eucharistic Prayer is not to be omitted, since this is a
most ancient tradition to be maintained, and a manifestation of ecclesial
communion. For “the coming together of the eucharistic community is at the same
time a joining in union with its own Bishop and with the Roman Pontiff”.134

3. The Other Parts of the Mass

57. It is the right of the community of Christ’s faithful that
especially in the Sunday celebration there should customarily be true and
suitable sacred music, and that there should always be an altar, vestments and
sacred linens that are dignified, proper, and clean, in accordance with the
norms.

58. All of Christ’s faithful likewise have the right to a
celebration of the Eucharist that has been so carefully prepared in all its
parts that the word of God is properly and efficaciously proclaimed and
explained in it; that the faculty for selecting the liturgical texts and rites
is carried out with care according to the norms; and that their faith is duly
safeguarded and nourished by the words that are sung in the celebration of the
Liturgy.

59. The reprobated practice by which Priests, Deacons or the
faithful here and there alter or vary at will the texts of the Sacred Liturgy
that they are charged to pronounce, must cease. For in doing thus, they render
the celebration of the Sacred Liturgy unstable, and not infrequently distort the
authentic meaning of the Liturgy.

60. In the celebration of Mass, the Liturgy of the Word and the
Liturgy of the Eucharist are intimately connected to one another, and form one
single act of worship. For this reason it is not licit to separate one of these
parts from the other and celebrate them at different times or places.135 Nor is it licit to carry out the
individual parts of Holy Mass at different times of the same day.

61. In selecting the biblical readings for proclamation in the
celebration of Mass, the norms found in the liturgical books are to be
followed,136 so that indeed “a
richer table of the word of God will be prepared for the faithful, and the
biblical treasures opened up for them”.137

62. It is also illicit to omit or to substitute the prescribed
biblical readings on one’s own initiative, and especially “to substitute other,
non-biblical texts for the readings and responsorial Psalm, which contain the
word of God”.138

63. “Within the celebration of the Sacred Liturgy, the reading
of the Gospel, which is “the high point of the Liturgy of the Word”,139 is reserved by the Church’s tradition
to an ordained minister.140
Thus it is not permitted for a layperson, even a religious, to proclaim the
Gospel reading in the celebration of Holy Mass, nor in other cases in which the
norms do not explicitly permit it.141

64. The homily, which is given in the course of the celebration
of Holy Mass and is a part of the Liturgy itself,142 “should ordinarily be given by the Priest celebrant
himself. He may entrust it to a concelebrating Priest or occasionally, according
to circumstances, to a Deacon, but never to a layperson.143 In particular cases and for a just
cause, the homily may even be given by a Bishop or a Priest who is present at
the celebration but cannot concelebrate”.144

65. It should be borne in mind that any previous norm that may
have admitted non-ordained faithful to give the homily during the eucharistic
celebration is to be considered abrogated by the norm of canon 767 §1.145 This practice is reprobated,
so that it cannot be permitted to attain the force of custom.

66. The prohibition of the admission of laypersons to preach
within the Mass applies also to seminarians, students of theological
disciplines, and those who have assumed the function of those known as “pastoral
assistants”; nor is there to be any exception for any other kind of layperson,
or group, or community, or association.146

67. Particular care is to be taken so that the homily is firmly
based upon the mysteries of salvation, expounding the mysteries of the Faith and
the norms of Christian life from the biblical readings and liturgical texts
throughout the course of the liturgical year and providing commentary on the
texts of the Ordinary or the Proper of the Mass, or of some other rite of the
Church.147 It is clear that
all interpretations of Sacred Scripture are to be referred back to Christ
himself as the one upon whom the entire economy of salvation hinges, though this
should be done in light of the specific context of the liturgical celebration.
In the homily to be given, care is to be taken so that the light of Christ may
shine upon life’s events. Even so, this is to be done so as not to obscure the
true and unadulterated word of God: for instance, treating only of politics or
profane subjects, or drawing upon notions derived from contemporary
pseudo-religious currents as a source.148

68. The diocesan Bishop must diligently oversee the preaching of
the homily,149 also publishing
norms and distributing guidelines and auxiliary tools to the sacred ministers,
and promoting meetings and other projects for this purpose so that they may have
the opportunity to consider the nature of the homily more precisely and find
help in its preparation.

69. In Holy Mass as well as in other celebrations of the Sacred
Liturgy, no Creed or Profession of Faith is to be introduced which is not found
in the duly approved liturgical books.

70. The offerings that Christ’s faithful are accustomed to
present for the Liturgy of the Eucharist in Holy Mass are not necessarily
limited to bread and wine for the eucharistic celebration, but may also include
gifts given by the faithful in the form of money or other things for the sake of
charity toward the poor. Moreover, external gifts must always be a visible
expression of that true gift that God expects from us: a contrite heart, the
love of God and neighbour by which we are conformed to the sacrifice of Christ,
who offered himself for us. For in the Eucharist, there shines forth most
brilliantly that mystery of charity that Jesus brought forth at the Last Supper
by washing the feet of the disciples. In order to preserve the dignity of the
Sacred Liturgy, in any event, the external offerings should be brought forward
in an appropriate manner. Money, therefore, just as other contributions for the
poor, should be placed in an appropriate place which should be away from the
eucharistic table.150 Except
for money and occasionally a minimal symbolic portion of other gifts, it is
preferable that such offerings be made outside the celebration of Mass.

71. The practice of the Roman Rite is to be maintained according
to which the peace is extended shortly before Holy Communion. For according to
the tradition of the Roman Rite, this practice does not have the connotation
either of reconciliation or of a remission of sins, but instead signifies peace,
communion and charity before the reception of the Most Holy Eucharist.151 It is rather the Penitential
Act to be carried out at the beginning of Mass (especially in its first form)
which has the character of reconciliation among brothers and sisters.

72. It is appropriate “that each one give the sign of peace only
to those who are nearest and in a sober manner”. “The Priest may give the sign
of peace to the ministers but always remains within the sanctuary, so as not to
disturb the celebration. He does likewise if for a just reason he wishes to
extend the sign of peace to some few of the faithful”. “As regards the sign to
be exchanged, the manner is to be established by the Conference of Bishops in
accordance with the dispositions and customs of the people”, and their acts are
subject to the recognitio of the Apostolic See.152

73. In the celebration of Holy Mass the breaking of the
Eucharistic Bread
— done only by the Priest celebrant, if necessary with the
help of a Deacon or of a concelebrant
— begins after the exchange of peace,
while the Agnus Dei is being recited. For the gesture of breaking bread
“carried out by Christ at the Last Supper, which in apostolic times gave the
whole eucharistic action its name, signifies that the faithful, though they are
many, are made one Body in the communion of the one Bread of Life who is Christ,
who died and rose for the world’s salvation” (cf. 1 Cor 10,17).153 For this reason the rite must be
carried out with great reverence.154 Even so, it should be brief. The abuse that has
prevailed in some places, by which this rite is unnecessarily prolonged and
given undue emphasis, with laypersons also helping in contradiction to the
norms, should be corrected with all haste.155

74. If the need arises for the gathered faithful to be given
instruction or testimony by a layperson in a Church concerning the Christian
life, it is altogether preferable that this be done outside Mass. Nevertheless,
for serious reasons it is permissible that this type of instruction or testimony
be given after the Priest has proclaimed the Prayer after Communion. This should
not become a regular practice, however. Furthermore, these instructions and
testimony should not be of such a nature that they could be confused with the
homily,156 nor is it
permissible to dispense with the homily on their account.

4. On the Joining of Various Rites with the
Celebration of Mass

75. On account of the theological significance inherent in a
particular rite and the Eucharistic Celebration, the liturgical books sometimes
prescribe or permit the celebration of Holy Mass to be joined with another rite,
especially one of those pertaining to the Sacraments.157 The Church does not permit such a conjoining in other
cases, however, especially when it is a question of trivial matters.

76. Furthermore, according to a most ancient tradition of the
Roman Church, it is not permissible to unite the Sacrament of Penance to the
Mass in such a way that they become a single liturgical celebration. This does
not exclude, however, that Priests other than those celebrating or
concelebrating the Mass might hear the confessions of the faithful who so
desire, even in the same place where Mass is being celebrated, in order to meet
the needs of those faithful.158 This should nevertheless be done in an appropriate
manner.

77. The celebration of Holy Mass is not to be inserted in any
way into the setting of a common meal, nor joined with this kind of banquet.
Mass is not to be celebrated without grave necessity on a dinner table159 nor in a dining room or
banquet hall, nor in a room where food is present, nor in a place where the
participants during the celebration itself are seated at tables. If out of grave
necessity Mass must be celebrated in the same place where eating will later take
place, there is to be a clear interval of time between the conclusion of Mass
and the beginning of the meal, and ordinary food is not to be set before the
faithful during the celebration of Mass.

78. It is not permissible to link the celebration of Mass to
political or secular events, nor to situations that are not fully consistent
with the Magisterium of the Catholic Church. Furthermore, it is altogether to be
avoided that the celebration of Mass should be carried out merely out of a
desire for show, or in the manner of other ceremonies including profane ones,
lest the Eucharist should be emptied of its authentic meaning.

79. Finally, it is strictly to be considered an abuse to
introduce into the celebration of Holy Mass elements that are contrary to the
prescriptions of the liturgical books and taken from the rites of other
religions.

80. The Eucharist is to be offered to the faithful, among other
reasons, “as an antidote, by which we are freed from daily faults and preserved
from mortal sins”,160 as is
brought to light in various parts of the Mass. As for the Penitential Act placed
at the beginning of Mass, it has the purpose of preparing all to be ready to
celebrate the sacred mysteries;161even so, “it lacks the efficacy of the Sacrament of
Penance”,162 and cannot be
regarded as a substitute for the Sacrament of Penance in remission of graver
sins. Pastors of souls should take care to ensure diligent catechetical
instruction, so that Christian doctrine is handed on to Christ’s faithful in
this matter.

81. The Church’s custom shows that it is necessary for each
person to examine himself at depth,163 and that anyone who is conscious of grave sin should
not celebrate or receive the Body of the Lord without prior sacramental
confession, except for grave reason when the possibility of confession is
lacking; in this case he will remember that he is bound by the obligation of
making an act of perfect contrition, which includes the intention to confess as
soon as possible”.164

82.Moreover,“the Church has drawn up norms aimed
at fostering the frequent and fruitful access of the faithful to the Eucharistic
table and at determining the objective conditions under which Communion may not
be given”.165

83. It is certainly best that all who are participating in the
celebration of Holy Mass with the necessary dispositions should receive
Communion. Nevertheless, it sometimes happens that Christ’s faithful approach
the altar as a group indiscriminately. It pertains to the Pastors prudently and
firmly to correct such an abuse.

84. Furthermore when Holy Mass is celebrated for a large crowd
—
for example, in large cities
— care should be taken lest out of ignorance
non-Catholics or even non-Christians come forward for Holy Communion, without
taking into account the Church’s Magisterium in matters pertaining to doctrine
and discipline. It is the duty of Pastors at an opportune moment to inform those
present of the authenticity and the discipline that are strictly to be
observed.

85. Catholic ministers licitly administer the Sacraments only to
the Catholic faithful, who likewise receive them licitly only from Catholic
ministers, except for those situations for which provision is made in can. 844
§§ 2,3, and 4, and can. 861 § 2.166 In addition, the conditions comprising can. 844 § 4,
from which no dispensation can be given,167 cannot be separated; thus, it is necessary that all of
these conditions be present together.

86.The faithful should be led insistently to the
practice whereby they approach the Sacrament of Penance outside the celebration
of Mass, especially at the scheduled times, so that the Sacrament may be
administered in a manner that is tranquil and truly beneficial to them, so as
not to be prevented from active participation at Mass. Those who are accustomed
to receiving Communion often or daily should be instructed that they should
approach the Sacrament of Penance at appropriate intervals, in accordance with
the condition of each.168

87. The First Communion of children must always be preceded by
sacramental confession and absolution.169 Moreover First Communion should always be administered
by a Priest and never outside the celebration of Mass. Apart from exceptional
cases, it is not particularly appropriate for First Communion to be administered
on Holy Thursday of the Lord’s Supper. Another day should be chosen instead,
such as a Sunday between the Second and the Sixth Sunday of Easter, or the
Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, or the Sundays of Ordinary Time,
since Sunday is rightly regarded as the day of the Eucharist.170 “Children who have not attained the
age of reason, or those whom” the Parish Priest “has determined to be
insufficiently prepared” should not come forward to receive the Holy
Eucharist.171 Where it
happens, however, that a child who is exceptionally mature for his age is judged
to be ready for receiving the Sacrament, the child must not be denied First
Communion provided he has received sufficient instruction.

2. The distribution of Holy Communion

88. The faithful should normally receive sacramental Communion
of the Eucharist during Mass itself, at the moment laid down by the rite of
celebration, that is to say, just after the Priest celebrant’s Communion.172 It is the Priest celebrant’s
responsibility to minister Communion, perhaps assisted by other Priests or
Deacons; and he should not resume the Mass until after the Communion of the
faithful is concluded. Only when there is a necessity may extraordinary
ministers assist the Priest celebrant in accordance with the norm of law.173

89. “So that even by means of the signs Communion may stand out
more clearly as a participation in the Sacrifice being celebrated”,174 it is preferable that the faithful be
able to receive hosts consecrated in the same Mass.175

90. “The faithful should receive Communion kneeling or standing,
as the Conference of Bishops will have determined”, with its acts having
received the recognitio of the Apostolic See. “However, if they receive
Communion standing, it is recommended that they give due reverence before the
reception of the Sacrament, as set forth in the same norms”.176

91. In distributing Holy Communion it is to be remembered that
“sacred ministers may not deny the sacraments to those who seek them in a
reasonable manner, are rightly disposed, and are not prohibited by law from
receiving them”.177 Hence any
baptized Catholic who is not prevented by law must be admitted to Holy
Communion. Therefore, it is not licit to deny Holy Communion to any of Christ’s
faithful solely on the grounds, for example, that the person wishes to receive
the Eucharist kneeling or standing.

92. Although each of the faithful always has the right to
receive Holy Communion on the tongue, at his choice,178 if any communicant should wish to receive the
Sacrament in the hand, in areas where the Bishops’ Conference with the
recognitio of the Apostolic See has given permission, the sacred host is
to be administered to him or her. However, special care should be taken to
ensure that the host is consumed by the communicant in the presence of the
minister, so that no one goes away carrying the Eucharistic species in his hand.
If there is a risk of profanation, then Holy Communion should not be given in
the hand to the faithful.179

93. The Communion-plate for the Communion of the faithful should
be retained, so as to avoid the danger of the sacred host or some fragment of it
falling.180

94. It is not licit for the faithful “to take . . . by
themselves . . . and, still less, to hand . . . from one to another” the sacred
host or the sacred chalice.181
Moreover, in this regard, the abuse is to be set aside whereby spouses
administer Holy Communion to each other at a Nuptial Mass.

95. A lay member of Christ’s faithful “who has already received
the Most Holy Eucharist may receive it again on the same day only within a
Eucharistic Celebration in which he or she is participating, with due regard for
the prescriptions of can. 921 § 2.”182

96. The practice is reprobated whereby either unconsecrated
hosts or other edible or inedible things are distributed during the celebration
of Holy Mass or beforehand after the manner of Communion, contrary to the
prescriptions of the liturgical books. For such a practice in no way accords
with the tradition of the Roman Rite, and carries with it the danger of causing
confusion among Christ’s faithful concerning the Eucharistic doctrine of the
Church. Where there exists in certain places by concession a particular custom
of blessing bread after Mass for distribution, proper catechesis should very
carefully be given concerning this action. In fact, no other similar practices
should be introduced, nor should unconsecrated hosts ever be used for this
purpose.

3. The Communion of Priests

97. A Priest must communicate at the altar at the moment laid
down by the Missal each time he celebrates Holy Mass, and the concelebrants must
communicate before they proceed with the distribution of Holy Communion. The
Priest celebrant or a concelebrant is never to wait until the people’s Communion
is concluded before receiving Communion himself.183

98. The Communion of Priest concelebrants should proceed
according to the norms prescribed in the liturgical books, always using hosts
consecrated at the same Mass184 and always with Communion under both kinds being
received by all of the concelebrants. It is to be noted that if the Priest or
Deacon hands the sacred host or chalice to the concelebrants, he says nothing;
that is to say, he does not pronounce the words “The Body of Christ” or “The
Blood of Christ”.

99. Communion under both kinds is always permitted “to Priests
who are not able to celebrate or concelebrate Mass”.185

4. Communion under Both Kinds

100. So that the fullness of the sign may be made more clearly
evident to the faithful in the course of the Eucharistic banquet, lay members of
Christ’s faithful, too, are admitted to Communion under both kinds, in the cases
set forth in the liturgical books, preceded and continually accompanied by
proper catechesis regarding the dogmatic principles on this matter laid down by
the Ecumenical Council of Trent.186

101. In order for Holy Communion under both kinds to be
administered to the lay members of Christ’s faithful, due consideration should
be given to the circumstances, as judged first of all by the diocesan Bishop. It
is to be completely excluded where even a small danger exists of the sacred
species being profaned.187
With a view to wider co-ordination, the Bishops’ Conferences should issue norms,
once their decisions have received the recognitio of the Apostolic See
through the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the
Sacraments, especially as regards “the manner of distributing Holy Communion to
the faithful under both kinds, and the faculty for its extension”.188

102. The chalice should not be ministered to lay members of
Christ’s faithful where there is such a large number of communicants189 that it is difficult to gauge the
amount of wine for the Eucharist and there is a danger that “more than a
reasonable quantity of the Blood of Christ remain to be consumed at the end of
the celebration”.190 The same
is true wherever access to the chalice would be difficult to arrange, or where
such a large amount of wine would be required that its certain provenance and
quality could only be known with difficulty, or wherever there is not an
adequate number of sacred ministers or extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion
with proper formation, or where a notable part of the people continues to prefer
not to approach the chalice for various reasons, so that the sign of unity would
in some sense be negated.

103. The norms of the Roman Missal admit the principle that in
cases where Communion is administered under both kinds, “the Blood of the Lord
may be received either by drinking from the chalice directly, or by intinction,
or by means of a tube or a spoon”.191 As regards the administering of Communion to lay
members of Christ’s faithful, the Bishops may exclude Communion with the tube or
the spoon where this is not the local custom, though the option of administering
Communion by intinction always remains. If this modality is employed, however,
hosts should be used which are neither too thin nor too small, and the
communicant should receive the Sacrament from the Priest only on the tongue.192

104. The communicant must not be permitted to intinct the host
himself in the chalice, nor to receive the intincted host in the hand. As for
the host to be used for the intinction, it should be made of valid matter, also
consecrated; it is altogether forbidden to use non-consecrated bread or other
matter.

105. If one chalice is not sufficient for Communion to be
distributed under both kinds to the Priest concelebrants or Christ’s faithful,
there is no reason why the Priest celebrant should not use several chalices.193 For it is to be remembered
that all Priests in celebrating Holy Mass are bound to receive Communion under
both kinds. It is praiseworthy, by reason of the sign value, to use a main
chalice of larger dimensions, together with smaller chalices.

106. However, the pouring of the Blood of Christ after the
consecration from one vessel to another is completely to be avoided, lest
anything should happen that would be to the detriment of so great a mystery.
Never to be used for containing the Blood of the Lord are flagons, bowls, or
other vessels that are not fully in accord with the established norms.

107. In accordance with what is laid down by the canons, “one
who throws away the consecrated species or takes them away or keeps them for a
sacrilegious purpose, incurs a latae sententiae excommunication reserved
to the Apostolic See; a cleric, moreover, may be punished by another penalty,
not excluding dismissal from the clerical state”.194 To be regarded as pertaining to this case is any
action that is voluntarily and gravely disrespectful of the sacred species.
Anyone, therefore, who acts contrary to these norms, for example casting the
sacred species into the sacrarium or in an unworthy place or on the ground,
incurs the penalties laid down.195 Furthermore all will remember that once the
distribution of Holy Communion during the celebration of Mass has been
completed, the prescriptions of the Roman Missal are to be observed, and in
particular, whatever may remain of the Blood of Christ must be entirely and
immediately consumed by the Priest or by another minister, according to the
norms, while the consecrated hosts that are left are to be consumed by the
Priest at the altar or carried to the place for the reservation of the
Eucharist.196

108. “The celebration of the Eucharist is to be carried out in a
sacred place, unless in a particular case necessity requires otherwise. In this
case the celebration must be in a decent place.”197 The diocesan Bishop shall be the judge for his diocese
concerning this necessity, on a case-by-case basis.

109. It is never lawful for a Priest to celebrate in a temple or
sacred place of any non-Christian religion.

2. Various Circumstances Relating to the
Mass

110. “Remembering always that in the mystery of the Eucharistic
Sacrifice the work of redemption is constantly being carried out, Priests should
celebrate frequently. Indeed, daily celebration is earnestly recommended,
because, even if it should not be possible to have the faithful present, the
celebration is an act of Christ and of the Church, and in carrying it out,
Priests fulfill their principal role.”198

111. A Priest is to be permitted to celebrate or concelebrate
the Eucharist “even if he is not known to the rector of the church, provided he
presents commendatory letters” (i.e., a celebret) not more than a year
old from the Holy See or his Ordinary or Superior “or unless it can be prudently
judged that he is not impeded from celebrating”.199 Let the Bishops take measures to put a stop to any
contrary practice.

112. Mass is celebrated either in Latin or in another language,
provided that liturgical texts are used which have been approved according to
the norm of law. Except in the case of celebrations of the Mass that are
scheduled by the ecclesiastical authorities to take place in the language of the
people, Priests are always and everywhere permitted to celebrate Mass in
Latin.200

113. When Mass is concelebrated by several Priests, a language
known both to all the concelebrating Priests and to the gathered people should
be used in the recitation of the Eucharist Prayer. Where it happens that some of
the Priests who are present do not know the language of the celebration and
therefore are not capable of pronouncing the parts of the Eucharistic Prayer
proper to them, they should not concelebrate, but instead should attend the
celebration in choral dress in accordance with the norms.201

114. “At Sunday Masses in parishes, insofar as parishes are
‘Eucharistic communities’, it is customary to find different groups, movements,
associations, and even the smaller religious communities present in the
parish.”202 While it is
permissible that Mass should be celebrated for particular groups according to
the norm of law,203 these
groups are nevertheless not exempt from the faithful observance of the
liturgical norms.

115. The abuse is reprobated by which the celebration of Holy
Mass for the people is suspended in an arbitrary manner contrary to the norms of
the Roman Missal and the healthy tradition of the Roman Rite, on the pretext of
promoting a “fast from the Eucharist”.

116. Masses are not to be multiplied contrary to the norm of
law, and as regards Mass stipends, all those things are to be observed which are
otherwise laid down by law.204

3. Sacred Vessels

117. Sacred vessels for containing the Body and Blood of the
Lord must be made in strict conformity with the norms of tradition and of the
liturgical books.205 The
Bishops’ Conferences have the faculty to decide whether it is appropriate, once
their decisions have been given the recognitio by the Apostolic See, for
sacred vessels to be made of other solid materials as well. It is strictly
required, however, that such materials be truly noble in the common estimation
within a given region,206 so
that honour will be given to the Lord by their use, and all risk of diminishing
the doctrine of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharistic species in the
eyes of the faithful will be avoided. Reprobated, therefore, is any practice of
using for the celebration of Mass common vessels, or others lacking in quality,
or devoid of all artistic merit or which are mere containers, as also other
vessels made from glass, earthenware, clay, or other materials that break
easily. This norm is to be applied even as regards metals and other materials
that easily rust or deteriorate.207

118. Before they are used, sacred vessels are to be blessed by a
Priest according to the rites laid down in the liturgical books.208 It is praiseworthy for the blessing to
be given by the diocesan Bishop, who will judge whether the vessels are worthy
of the use to which they are destined.

119. The Priest, once he has returned to the altar after the
distribution of Communion, standing at the altar or at the credence table,
purifies the paten or ciborium over the chalice, then purifies the chalice in
accordance with the prescriptions of the Missal and wipes the chalice with the purificator. Where a Deacon is present, he returns with the Priest to the altar
and purifies the vessels. It is permissible, however, especially if there are
several vessels to be purified, to leave them, covered as may be appropriate, on
a corporal on the altar or on the credence table, and for them to be purified by
the Priest or Deacon immediately after Mass once the people have been dismissed.
Moreover a duly instituted acolyte assists the Priest or Deacon in purifying and
arranging the sacred vessels either at the altar or the credence table. In the
absence of a Deacon, a duly instituted acolyte carries the sacred vessels to the
credence table and there purifies, wipes and arranges them in the usual way.209

120. Let Pastors take care that the linens for the sacred table,
especially those which will receive the sacred species, are always kept clean
and that they are washed in the traditional way. It is praiseworthy for this to
be done by pouring the water from the first washing, done by hand, into the
church’s sacrarium or into the ground in a suitable place. After this a second
washing can be done in the usual way.

4. Liturgical Vesture

121. “The purpose of a variety of colour of the sacred vestments
is to give effective expression even outwardly to the specific character of the
mysteries of faith being celebrated and to a sense of Christian life’s passage
through the course of the liturgical year”.210 On the other hand, the variety “of offices in the
celebration of the Eucharist is shown outwardly by the diversity of sacred
vestments. In fact, these “sacred vestments should also contribute to the beauty
of the sacred action itself”.211

122. “The alb” is “to be tied at the waist with a cincture
unless it is made so as to fit even without a cincture. Before the alb is put
on, if it does not completely cover the ordinary clothing at the neck, an amice
should be put on”.212

123. “The vestment proper to the Priest celebrant at Mass, and
in other sacred actions directly connected with Mass unless otherwise indicated,
is the chasuble, worn over the alb and stole.”213 Likewise the Priest, in putting on the chasuble
according to the rubrics, is not to omit the stole. All Ordinaries should be
vigilant in order that all usage to the contrary be eradicated.

124. A faculty is given in the Roman Missal for the Priest
concelebrants at Mass other than the principal concelebrant (who should always
put on a chasuble of the prescribed colour), for a just reason such as a large
number of concelebrants or a lack of vestments, to omit “the chasuble, using the
stole over the alb”.214 Where
a need of this kind can be foreseen, however, provision should be made for it
insofar as possible. Out of necessity the concelebrants other than the principal
celebrant may even put on white chasubles. For the rest, the norms of the
liturgical books are to be observed.

125. The proper vestment of the Deacon is the dalmatic, to be
worn over an alb and stole. In order that the beautiful tradition of the Church
may be preserved, it is praiseworthy to refrain from exercising the option of
omitting the dalmatic.215

126. The abuse is reprobated whereby the sacred ministers
celebrate Holy Mass or other rites without sacred vestments or with only a stole
over the monastic cowl or the common habit of religious or ordinary clothes,
contrary to the prescriptions of the liturgical books, even when there is only
one minister participating.216
In order that such abuses be corrected as quickly as possible, Ordinaries should
take care that in all churches and oratories subject to their jurisdiction there
is present an adequate supply of liturgical vestments made in accordance with
the norms.

127. A special faculty is given in the liturgical books for
using sacred vestments that are festive or more noble on more solemn occasions,
even if they are not of the colour of the day.217 However, this faculty, which is specifically intended
in reference to vestments made many years ago, with a view to preserving the
Church’s patrimony, is improperly extended to innovations by which forms and
colours are adopted according to the inclination of private individuals, with
disregard for traditional practice, while the real sense of this norm is lost to
the detriment of the tradition. On the occasion of a feastday, sacred vestments
of a gold or silver colour can be substituted as appropriate for others of
various colours, but not for purple or black.

128. Holy Mass and other liturgical celebrations, which are acts
of Christ and of the people of God hierarchically constituted, are ordered in
such a way that the sacred ministers and the lay faithful manifestly take part
in them each according to his own condition. It is preferable therefore that
“Priests who are present at a Eucharistic Celebration, unless excused for a good
reason, should as a rule exercise the office proper to their Order and thus take
part as concelebrants, wearing the sacred vestments. Otherwise, they wear their
proper choir dress or a surplice over a cassock.”218 It is not fitting, except in rare and exceptional
cases and with reasonable cause, for them to participate at Mass, as regards to
externals, in the manner of the lay faithful.

The reservation of the Most Holy
Eucharist and Eucharistic worship outside Mass

1. The Reservation of the Most Holy
Eucharist

129. “The celebration of the Eucharist in the Sacrifice of the
Mass is truly the origin and end of the worship given to the Eucharist outside
the Mass. Furthermore the sacred species are reserved after Mass principally so
that the faithful who cannot be present at Mass, above all the sick and those
advanced in age, may be united by sacramental Communion to Christ and his
Sacrifice which is offered in the Mass.”219 In addition, this reservation also permits the
practice of adoring this great Sacrament and offering it the worship due to God.
Accordingly, forms of adoration that are not only private but also public and
communitarian in nature, as established or approved by the Church herself, must
be greatly promoted.220

130. “According to the structure of each church building and in
accordance with legitimate local customs, the Most Holy Sacrament is to be
reserved in a tabernacle in a part of the church that is noble, prominent,
readily visible, and adorned in a dignified manner” and furthermore “suitable
for prayer” by reason of the quietness of the location, the space available in
front of the tabernacle, and also the supply of benches or seats and kneelers.221 In addition, diligent
attention should be paid to all the prescriptions of the liturgical books and to
the norm of law,222 especially
as regards the avoidance of the danger of profanation.223

131. Apart from the prescriptions of canon 934 § 1, it is
forbidden to reserve the Blessed Sacrament in a place that is not subject in a
secure way to the authority of the diocesan Bishop, or where there is a danger
of profanation. Where such is the case, the diocesan Bishop should immediately
revoke any permission for reservation of the Euchari­st that may already have
been granted.224

132. No one may carry the Most Holy Eucharist to his or her
home, or to any other place contrary to the norm of law. It should also be borne
in mind that removing or retaining the consecrated species for a sacrilegious
purpose or casting them away are graviora delicta, the absolution of
which is reserved to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.225

133. A Priest or Deacon, or an extraordinary minister who takes
the Most Holy Eucharist when an ordained minister is absent or impeded in order
to administer it as Communion for a sick person, should go insofar as possible
directly from the place where the Sacrament is reserved to the sick person’s
home, leaving aside any profane business so that any danger of profanation may
be avoided and the greatest reverence for the Body of Christ may be ensured.
Furthermore the Rite for the administration of Communion to the sick, as
prescribed in the Roman Ritual, is always to be used.226

2. Certain Forms of Worship of the Most Holy
Eucharist Outside Mass

134. “Theworship of the Eucharist outside the Sacrifice
of the Mass is a tribute of inestimable value in the life of the Church. Such
worship is closely linked to the celebration of the Eucharistic Sacrifice.”227 Therefore both public and
private devotion to the Most Holy Eucharist even outside Mass should be
vigorously promoted, for by means of it the faithful give adoration to Christ,
truly and really present,228
the “High Priest of the good things to come”229 and Redeemer of the whole world. “It is the
responsibility of sacred Pastors, even by the witness of their life, to support
the practice of Eucharistic worship and especially exposition of the Most Holy
Sacrament, as well as prayer of adoration before Christ present under the
eucharistic species.”230

135. The faithful “should not omit making visits during the day
to the Most Holy Sacrament, as a proof of gratitude, a pledge of love, and a
debt of the adoration due to Christ the Lord who is present in it.”231 For the contemplation of Jesus present
in the Most Holy Sacrament, as a communion of desire, powerfully joins the
faithful to Christ, as is splendidly evident in the example of so many Saints.232 ‘Unless there is a grave
reason to the contrary, a church in which the Most Holy Eucharist is reserved
should be open to the faithful for at least some hours each day, so that they
can spend time in prayer before the Most Holy Sacrament.”233

136. The Ordinary should diligently foster Eucharistic
adoration, whether brief or prolonged or almost continuous, with the
participation of the people. For in recent years in so many places “adoration of
the Most Holy Sacrament is also an important daily practice and becomes an
inexhaustible source of holiness”, although there are also places “where there
is evident almost a total lack of regard for worship in the form of eucharistic
adoration.”234

137. Exposition of the Most Holy Eucharist must always be
carried out in accordance with the prescriptions of the liturgical books.235 Before the Most Holy
Sacrament either reserved or exposed, the praying of the Rosary, which is
admirable “in its simplicity and even its profundity”, is not to be excluded
either.236 Even so, especially
if there is Exposition, the character of this kind of prayer as a
contemplation of the mystery of the life of Christ the Redeemer and the Almighty
Father’s design of salvation should be emphasized, especially by making use of
readings taken from Sacred Scripture.237

138. Still, the Most Holy Sacrament, when exposed, must never be
left unattended even for the briefest space of time. It should therefore be
arranged that at least some of the faithful always be present at fixed times,
even if they take alternating turns.

139. Where the diocesan Bishop has sacred ministers or others
whom he can assign to this purpose, the faithful have a right to visit the Most
Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist frequently for adoration, and to take part in
adoration before the Most Holy Eucharist exposed at least at some time in the
course of any given year.

140. It is highly recommended that at least in the cities and
the larger towns the diocesan Bishop should designate a church building for
perpetual adoration; in it, however, Holy Mass should be celebrated frequently,
even daily if possible, while the Exposition should rigorously be interrupted
while Mass is being celebrated.238 It is fitting that the host to be exposed for
adoration should be consecrated in the Mass immediately preceding the time of
adoration, and that it should be placed in the monstrance upon the altar after
Communion.239

141. The diocesan Bishop should acknowledge and foster insofar
as possible the right of the various groups of Christ’s faithful to form guilds
or associations for the carrying out of adoration, even almost continuous
adoration. Whenever such associations assume an international character, it
pertains to the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the
Sacraments to erect them and to approve their statutes.240

3. Processions and Eucharistic Congresses

142. “It is for the diocesan Bishop to establish regulations
about processions in order to provide for participation in them and for their
being carried out in a dignified way”241 and to promote adoration by the faithful.

143. “Wherever it is possible in the judgement of the diocesan
Bishop, a procession through the public streets should be held, especially on
the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ as a public witness of reverence
for the Most Holy Sacrament”,242 for the “devout participation of the faithful in the
eucharistic procession on the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ is a
grace from the Lord which yearly fills with joy those who take part in it”.243

144. Although this cannot be done in some places, the tradition
of holding eucharistic processions should not be allowed to be lost. Instead,
new ways should be sought of holding them in today’s conditions: for example, at
shrines, or in public gardens if the civil authority agrees.

145. The pastoral value of Eucharistic Congresses should be
highly esteemed, and they “should be a genuine sign of faith and charity”.244 Let them be diligently
prepared and carried out in accordance with what has been laid down,245 so that Christ’s faithful may have the
occasion to worship the sacred mysteries of the Body and Blood of the Son of God
in a worthy manner, and that they may continually experience within themselves
the fruits of the Redemption.246

146. There can be no substitute whatsoever for the ministerial
Priesthood. For if a Priest is lacking in the community, then the community
lacks the exercise and sacramental function of Christ the Head and Shepherd,
which belongs to the essence of its very life.247 For “the only minister who can confect the sacrament
of the Eucharist in persona Christi is a validly ordained Priest”.248

147. When the Church’s needs require it, however, if sacred
ministers are lacking, lay members of Christ’s faithful may supply for certain
liturgical offices according to the norm of law.249 Such faithful are called and appointed to carry out
certain functions, whether of greater or lesser weight, sustained by the Lord’s
grace. Many of the lay Christian faithful have already contributed eagerly to
this service and still do so, especially in missionary areas where the Church is
still of small dimensions or is experiencing conditions of persecution,250 but also in areas affected by
a shortage of Priests and Deacons.

148. Particular importance is to be attached to the training of
catechists, who by means of great labours have given and still give outstanding
and altogether necessary help in the spreading of the faith and of the Church.251

149. More recently, in some dioceses long since evangelized,
members of Christ’s lay faithful have been appointed as “pastoral assistants”,
and among them many have undoubtedly served the good of the Church by providing
assistance to the Bishop, Priests and Deacons in the carrying out of their
pastoral activity. Let care be taken, however, lest the delineation of this
function be assimilated too closely to the form of pastoral ministry that
belongs to clerics. That is to say, attention should be paid to ensuring that
“pastoral assistants” do not take upon themselves what is proper to the ministry
of the sacred ministers.

150. The activity of a pastoral assistant should be directed to
facilitating the ministry of Priests and Deacons, to ensuring that vocations to
the Priesthood and Diaconate are awakened and that lay members of Christ’s
faithful in each community are carefully trained for the various liturgical
functions, in keeping with the variety of charisms and in accordance with the
norm of law.

151. Only out of true necessity is there to be recourse to the
assistance of extraordinary ministers in the celebration of the Liturgy. Such
recourse is not intended for the sake of a fuller participation of the laity but
rather, by its very nature, is supplementary and provisional.252 Furthermore, when recourse is had out
of necessity to the functions of extraordinary ministers, special urgent prayers
of intercession should be multiplied that the Lord may soon send a Priest for
the service of the community and raise up an abundance of vocations to sacred
Orders.253

152. These purely supplementary functions must not be an
occasion for disfiguring the very ministry of Priests, in such a way that the
latter neglect the celebration of Holy Mass for the people for whom they are
responsible, or their personal care of the sick, or the baptism of children, or
assistance at weddings or the celebration of Christian funerals, matters which
pertain in the first place to Priests assisted by Deacons. It must therefore
never be the case that in parishes Priests alternate indiscriminately in shifts
of pastoral service with Deacons or laypersons, thus confusing what is specific
to each.

153. Furthermore, it is never licit for laypersons to assume the
role or the vesture of a Priest or a Deacon or other clothing similar to such
vesture.

1. The Extraordinary Minister of Holy
Communion

154. As has already been recalled, “the only minister who can
confect the Sacrament of the Eucharist in persona Christi is a validly
ordained Priest”.254 Hence the
name “minister of the Eucharist” belongs properly to the Priest alone. Moreover,
also by reason of their sacred Ordination, the ordinary ministers of Holy
Communion are the Bishop, the Priest and the Deacon,255 to whom it belongs therefore to administer Holy
Communion to the lay members of Christ’s faithful during the celebration of
Mass. In this way their ministerial office in the Church is fully and accurately
brought to light, and the sign value of the Sacrament is made complete.

155. In addition to the ordinary ministers there is the formally
instituted acolyte, who by virtue of his institution is an extraordinary
minister of Holy Communion even outside the celebration of Mass. If, moreover,
reasons of real necessity prompt it, another lay member of Christ’s faithful may
also be delegated by the diocesan Bishop, in accordance with the norm of law,256 for one occasion or for a
specified time, and an appropriate formula of blessing may be used for the
occasion. This act of appointment, however, does not necessarily take a
liturgical form, nor, if it does take a liturgical form, should it resemble
sacred Ordination in any way. Finally, in special cases of an unforeseen nature,
permission can be given for a single occasion by the Priest who presides at the
celebration of the Eucharist.257

156. This function is to be understood strictly according to the
name by which it is known, that is to say, that of extraordinary minister of
Holy Communion, and not “special minister of Holy Communion” nor “extraordinary
minister of the Eucharist” nor “special minister of the Eucharist”, by which
names the meaning of this function is unnecessarily and improperly
broadened.

157. If there is usually present a sufficient number of sacred
ministers for the distribution of Holy Communion, extraordinary ministers of
Holy Communion may not be appointed. Indeed, in such circumstances, those who
may have already been appointed to this ministry should not exercise it. The
practice of those Priests is reprobated who, even though present at the
celebration, abstain from distributing Communion and hand this function over to
laypersons.258

158. Indeed, the extraordinary minister of Holy Communion may
administer Communion only when the Priest and Deacon are lacking, when the
Priest is prevented by weakness or advanced age or some other genuine reason, or
when the number of faithful coming to Communion is so great that the very
celebration of Mass would be unduly prolonged.259 This, however, is to be understood in such a way that
a brief prolongation, considering the circumstances and culture of the place, is
not at all a sufficient reason.

159. It is never allowed for the extraordinary minister of Holy
Communion to delegate anyone else to administer the Eucharist, as for example a
parent or spouse or child of the sick person who is the communicant.

160. Let the diocesan Bishop give renewed consideration to the
practice in recent years regarding this matter, and if circumstances call for
it, let him correct it or define it more precisely. Where such extraordinary
ministers are appointed in a widespread manner out of true necessity, the
diocesan Bishop should issue special norms by which he determines the manner in
which this function is to be carried out in accordance with the law, bearing in
mind the tradition of the Church.

2. Preaching

161. As was already noted above, the homily on account of its
importance and its nature is reserved to the Priest or Deacon during Mass.260 As regards other forms of
preaching, if necessity demands it in particular circumstances, or if usefulness
suggests it in special cases, lay members of Christ’s faithful may be allowed to
preach in a church or in an oratory outside Mass in accordance with the norm of
law.261 This may be done only
on account of a scarcity of sacred ministers in certain places, in order to meet
the need, and it may not be transformed from an exceptional measure into an
ordinary practice, nor may it be understood as an authentic form of the
advancement of the laity.262
All must remember besides that the faculty for giving such permission belongs to
the local Ordinary, and this as regards individual instances; this permission is
not the competence of anyone else, even if they are Priests or Deacons.

3. Particular Celebrations carried out in the
Absence of a Priest

162. On the day known as the Lord’s Day, the Church faithful
gathers together to commemorate the Lord’s Resurrection and the whole Paschal
Mystery, especially by the celebration of Mass.263 For “no Christian community is built up unless it is
rooted in and hinges upon the celebration of the Most Holy Eucharist”.264 Hence it is the Christian
people’s right to have the Eucharist celebrated for them on Sunday, and whenever
holydays of obligation or other major feasts occur, and even daily insofar as
this is possible. Therefore when it is difficult to have the celebration of Mass
on a Sunday in a parish church or in another community of Christ’s faithful, the
diocesan Bishop together with his Priests should consider appropriate
remedies.265 Among such
solutions will be that other Priests be called upon for this purpose, or that
the faithful transfer to a church in a nearby place so as to participate in the
Eucharistic mystery there.266

163. All Priests, to whom the Priesthood and the Eucharist are
entrusted for the sake of others,267 should remember that they are enjoined to provide the
faithful with the opportunity to satisfy the obligation of participating at Mass
on Sundays.268 For their part,
the lay faithful have the right, barring a case of real impossibility, that no
Priest should ever refuse either to celebrate Mass for the people or to have it
celebrated by another Priest if the people otherwise would not be able to
satisfy the obligation of participating at Mass on Sunday or the other days of
precept.

164. “If participation at the celebration of the Eucharist is
impossible on account of the absence of a sacred minister or for some other
grave cause,”269 then it is
the Christian people’s right that the diocesan Bishop should provide as far as
he is able for some celebration to be held on Sundays for that community under
his authority and according to the Church’s norms. Sunday celebrations of this
specific kind, however, are to be considered altogether extraordinary. All
Deacons or lay members of Christ’s faithful who are assigned a part in such
celebrations by the diocesan Bishop should strive “to keep alive in the
community a genuine ‘hunger’ for the Eucharist, so that no opportunity for the
celebration of Mass will ever be missed, also taking advantage of the occasional
presence of a Priest who is not impeded by Church law from celebrating Mass”.270

165. It is necessary to avoid any sort of confusion between this
type of gathering and the celebration of the Eucharist.271 The diocesan Bishops, therefore,
should prudently discern whether Holy Communion ought to be distributed in these
gatherings. The matter would appropriately be determined in view of a more ample
co-ordination in the Bishops’ Conference, to be put into effect after the
recognitio of the acts by the Apostolic See through the Congregation for
Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. It will be preferable,
moreover, when both a Priest and a Deacon are absent, that the various parts be
distributed among several faithful rather than having a single lay member of the
faithful direct the whole celebration alone. Nor is it ever appropriate to refer
to any member of the lay faithful as “presiding” over the celebration.

166. Likewise, especially if Holy Communion is distributed
during such celebrations, the diocesan Bishop, to whose exclusive competence
this matter pertains, must not easily grant permission for such celebrations to
be held on weekdays, especially in places where it was possible or would be
possible to have the celebration of Mass on the preceding or the following
Sunday. Priests are therefore earnestly requested to celebrate Mass daily for
the people in one of the churches entrusted to their care.

167. “Similarly, it is unthinkable on the Lord’s Day to
substitute for Holy Mass either ecumenical celebrations of the word or services
of common prayer with Christians from the . . . Ecclesial Communities, or even
participation in these Communities’ liturgical services.”272 Should the diocesan Bishop out of
necessity authorize the participation of Catholics for a single occasion, let
pastors take care lest confusion arise among the Catholic faithful concerning
the necessity of taking part at Mass at another hour of the day even in such
circumstances, on account of the obligation.273

4. Those Who Have Left the Clerical State

168. “A cleric who loses the clerical state in accordance with
the law . . . is prohibited from exercising the power of order”.274 It is therefore not licit for him to
celebrate the sacraments under any pretext whatsoever save in the exceptional
case set forth by law,275 nor
is it licit for Christ’s faithful to have recourse to him for the celebration,
since there is no reason which would permit this according to canon 1335.276 Moreover, these men should
neither give the homily277 nor
ever undertake any office or duty in the celebration of the sacred Liturgy, lest
confusion arise among Christ’s faithful and the truth be obscured.

169. Whenever an abuse is committed in the celebration of the
sacred Liturgy, it is to be seen as a real falsification of Catholic Liturgy. St
Thomas wrote, “the vice of falsehood is perpetrated by anyone who offers worship
to God on behalf of the Church in a manner contrary to that which is established
by the Church with divine authority, and to which the Church is accustomed”.278

170. In order that a remedy may be applied to such abuses,
“there is a pressing need for the biblical and liturgical formation of the
people of God, both pastors and faithful”,279 so that the Church’s faith and discipline concerning
the sacred Liturgy may be accurately presented and understood. Where abuses
persist, however, proceedings should be undertaken for safeguarding the
spiritual patrimony and rights of the Church in accordance with the law,
employing all legitimate means.

171. Among the various abuses there are some which are
objectively graviora delicta or otherwise constitute grave matters, as
well as others which are nonetheless to be carefully avoided and corrected.
Bearing in mind everything that is treated especially in Chapter I of this
Instruction, attention should be paid to what follows.

1. Graviora delicta

172. Graviora delicta against the sanctity of the Most
August Sacrifice and Sacrament of the Eucharist are to be handled in accordance
with the ‘Norms concerning graviora delicta reserved to the Congregation
for the Doctrine of the Faith’,280 namely:

a) taking away or retaining the consecrated species for
sacrilegious ends, or the throwing them away;281

b) the attempted celebration of the liturgical action of the
Eucharistic Sacrifice or the simulation of the same;282

c) the forbidden concelebration of the Eucharistic Sacrifice with
ministers of Ecclesial Communities that do not have the apostolic succession nor
acknowledge the sacramental dignity of priestly Ordination;283

d) the consecration for sacrilegious ends of one matter without
the other in the celebration of the Eucharist or even of both outside the
celebration of the Eucharist.284

2. Grave Matters

173. Although the gravity of a matter is to be judged in
accordance with the common teaching of the Church and the norms established by
her, objectively to be considered among grave matters is anything that puts at
risk the validity and dignity of the Most Holy Eucharist: namely, anything that
contravenes what is set out above in nn. 48-52, 56, 76-77, 79, 91-92, 94, 96,
101-102, 104, 106, 109, 111, 115, 117, 126, 131-133, 138, 153 and 168.Moreover, attention should be given to the other prescriptions of the Code
of Canon Law, and especially what is laid down by canons 1364, 1369, 1373, 1376,
1380, 1384, 1385, 1386, and 1398.

3. Other Abuses

174. Furthermore, those actions that are brought about which are
contrary to the other matters treated elsewhere in this Instruction or in the
norms established by law are not to be considered of little account, but are to
be numbered among the other abuses to be carefully avoided and corrected.

175. The things set forth in this Instruction obviously do not
encompass all the violations against the Church and its discipline that are
defined in the canons, in the liturgical laws and in other norms of the Church
for the sake of the teaching of the Magisterium or sound tradition. Where
something wrong has been committed, it is to be corrected according to the norm
of law.

4. The Diocesan Bishop

176. The diocesan Bishop, “since he is the principal dispenser
of the mysteries of God, is to strive constantly so that Christ’s faithful
entrusted to his care may grow in grace through the celebration of the
sacraments, and that they may know and live the Paschal Mystery”.285 It is his responsibility, “within the
limits of his competence, to issue norms on liturgical matters by which all are
bound”.286

177. “Since he must safeguard the unity of the universal Church,
the Bishop is bound to promote the discipline common to the entire Church and
therefore to insist upon the observance of all ecclesiastical laws. He is to be
watchful lest abuses encroach upon ecclesiastical discipline, especially as
regards the ministry of the Word, the celebration of the Sacraments and sacramentals, the worship of God and the veneration of the Saints”.287

178. Hence whenever a local Ordinary or the Ordinary of a
religious Institute or of a Society of apostolic life receives at least a
plausible notice of a delict or abuse concerning the Most Holy Eucharist, let
him carefully investigate, either personally or by means of another worthy
cleric, concerning the facts and the circumstances as well as the
imputability.

179. Delicts against the faith as well as graviora delicta
committed in the celebration of the Eucharist and the other Sacraments are
to be referred without delay to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith,
which “examines [them] and, if necessary, proceeds to the declaration or
imposition of canonical sanctions according to the norm of common or proper
law”.288

180. Otherwise the Ordinary should proceed according the norms
of the sacred canons, imposing canonical penalties if necessary, and bearing in
mind in particular that which is laid down by canon 1326. If the matter is
serious, let him inform the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline
of the Sacraments.

5. The Apostolic See

181. Whenever the Congregation for Divine Worship and the
Discipline of the Sacraments receives at least a plausible notice of a delict or
an abuse concerning the Most Holy Eucharist, it informs the Ordinary so that he
may investigate the matter. When the matter turns out to be serious, the
Ordinary should send to the same Dicastery as quickly as possible a copy of the
acts of the inquiry that has been undertaken, and where necessary, the penalty
imposed.

182. In more difficult cases the Ordinary, for the sake of the
good of the universal Church in the care for which he too has a part by virtue
of his sacred Ordination, should not fail to handle the matter, having
previously taken advice from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the
Discipline of the Sacraments. For its part, this Congregation, on the strength
of the faculties given to it by the Roman Pontiff, according to the nature of
the case, will assist the Ordinary, granting him the necessarydispensations289 or giving him instructions or
prescriptions, which he is to follow diligently.

6. Complaints Regarding Abuses in Liturgical
Matters

183. In an altogether particular manner, let everyone do all
that is in their power to ensure that the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist
will be protected from any and every irreverence or distortion and that all
abuses be thoroughly corrected. This is a most serious duty incumbent upon each
and every one, and all are bound to carry it out without any favouritism.

184. Any Catholic, whether Priest or Deacon or lay member of
Christ’s faithful, has the right to lodge a complaint regarding a liturgical
abuse to the diocesan Bishop or the competent Ordinary equivalent to him in law,
or to the Apostolic See on account of the primacy of the Roman Pontiff.290 It is fitting, however,
insofar as possible, that the report or complaint be submitted first to the
diocesan Bishop. This is naturally to be done in truth and charity.

185. “Against the seeds of discord which daily experience shows
to be so deeply ingrained in human nature as a result of sin, there stands the
creative power of the unity of Christ’s body. For it is precisely by building up
the Church that the Eucharist establishes fellowship among men.”291 It is therefore the hope of this
Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments that also,
by the diligent application of those things that are recalled in this
Instruction, human weakness may come to pose less of an obstacle to the action
of the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist, and that with all distortion set
aside and every reprobated practice removed,292 through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
“Woman of the Eucharist”, the saving presence of Christ in the Sacrament of his
Body and Blood may shine brightly upon all people.

186. Let all Christ’s faithful participate in the Most Holy
Eucharist as fully, consciously and actively as they can,293 honouring it lovingly by their
devotion and the manner of their life. Let Bishops, Priests and Deacons, in the
exercise of the sacred ministry, examine their consciences as regards the
authenticity and fidelity of the actions they have performed in the name of
Christ and the Church in the celebration of the Sacred Liturgy. Let each one of
the sacred ministers ask himself, even with severity, whether he has respected
the rights of the lay members of Christ’s faithful, who confidently entrust
themselves and their children to him, relying on him to fulfill for the faithful
those sacred functions that the Church intends to carry out in celebrating the
sacred Liturgy at Christ’s command.294 For each one should always remember that he is a
servant of the Sacred Liturgy.295

All things to the contrary notwithstanding.

This Instruction, prepared by the Congregation for Divine Worship
and the Discipline of the Sacraments by mandate of the Supreme Pontiff John Paul
II in collaboration with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, was
approved by the same Pontiff on the Solemnity of St. Joseph, 19 March 2004, and
he ordered it to be published and to be observed immediately by all
concerned.

From the offices of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the
Discipline of the Sacraments, Rome, on the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the
Lord, 25 March 2004.

61 Cf. Second
Vatican Ecumenical Council, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum
Concilium, n. 44; Congregation for Bishops, Letter sent to the Presidents of
the Conferences of Bishops together with the Congregation for the Evangelization
of Peoples, 21 June 1999, n. 9: AAS 91 (1999) p. 999.

120 Cf.
Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts, Response to
dubium, 11 July 1992: AAS 86 (1994) pp. 541-542; Congregation for Divine Worship
and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Letter to the Presidents of Conferences of
Bishops on the liturgical service of laypersons, 15 March 1994: Notitiae
30 (1994) pp. 333-335, 347-348.

122 Cf.
Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts, Response to
dubium, 11 July 1992: AAS 86 (1994) pp. 541-542; Congregation for Divine Worship
and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Letter to the Presidents of the
Conferences of Bishops concerning the liturgical service of laypersons, 15 March
1994: Notitiae 30 (1994) pp. 333-335, 347-348; Letter to a Bishop, 27
July 2001: Notitiae 38 (2002) 46-54.

157 Cf.
especially the General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours, nn. 93-98; Roman
Ritual, revised by decree of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council and published
by authority of Pope John Paul II: Book of Blessings, editio typica, 31 May
1984, General Introduction, n. 28; Order of Crowning an Image of the Blessed
Virgin Mary, editio typica, 25 March 1981, nn. 10 and 14; S. Congregation for
Divine Worship, Instruction, on Masses with Particular Groups, Actio
pastoralis, 15 May 1969: AAS 61 (1969) pp. 806-811; Directory for Masses
with Children, Pueros baptizatos, 1 November 1973:AAS 66 (1974) pp. 30-46;
Missale Romanum, Institutio Generalis, n. 21.